Over 80 persons attended and participated in a parallel
on urban transport and sustainable human settlements on
June 5 co-organized by UNCHS (Habitat), The World Bank,
and the International Foundation for the Urban Environment
based in Brussels. A wide variety of speakers presented
the issue of urban transport and its crucial role in ensuring
sustainable human settlements from the perspective of national
governments, local authorities and NGOs. The occasion also
witnessed the launching of the World Bank's new urban transport
strategy which hopes to clearly link urban transport with
poverty alleviation and explore ways in which urban transport
can be used as a tool for poverty alleviation.

As a follow-up to the Habitat II Dialogue for the 21st Century
entitled "Transport in the City of Tomorrow" the meeting
was a follow-up to this important event at Istanbul and,
therefore, very appropriate for Istanbul +5. Participants
reviewed the implementation of the transport provisions
of the Habitat Agenda and agreed that a new-found international
movement on sustainable transport was evident generally
but that it needed to be more specifically linked with poverty
alleviation. While the World Bank was acknowledged as one
of the leading players in transport infrastructure investment,
the role that local authorities, other inter-governmental
institutions, other United Nations organizations and representatives
of civil society and civil society could play was also acknowledged.

The meeting ended with the expression of concern and disappointment
that the phrase "urban transport" was not mentioned in any
of the upcoming resolutions to be considered during the
UNGASS and participants were exhorted to work through national
delegations to submit amendments. They were also encouraged
to ensure the elevation of this issue on the radar screen
of international development institutions so that it is
recognized for its integral role in ensuring sustainable
human settlements.